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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

`CHARLES L. KIDDER, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

|MPRovMENT-|N coNDENsERs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 55,803, dated October 13, 1874; application filed August 22, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. KIDDEE, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Oondensers, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a central vertical section of my improved condenser. Fig. 2 is atop view of the same, with its cap and valve removed.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in condensers, more particularly applicable to steam-pumps, although readily adapted to other purposes where steam is condensed to producea vacuum.

The objects of this invention are,mainly, to

,provide an economical and eftcacous condenser, which shall supply its own water, obviate the necessity of exhausting the steam into the open air through a pipe, produce a vacuum at both ends of a steanrcylinder, and in which the ow of water is regulated to always provide a space to permit the free ingress of steam from the exhaustpipe, and which is at all times supplied with solid water, and an equal dissemination of water into it from the supply-pipe is insured, thereby tending to economize water and steam to increase the power of the pump, and lessen the expense, and perfect the operation of ordinary condensers.

The advantages, construction, andoperation of my improvements will be apparent on reference to the following description, and accompanying drawings, in which A represents a cylindrical metal case or condenser, having a central vertical water-suction supply-pipe, B, connectingl at the bottom with the waterreservoir or. supplypipe, and eX- tending through up to near the top of the case or condenser A, which, at a suitable distance above its bottom, has a horizontal pipe, C, that conducts it to the exhauststeam. The lower portion of the condenser A is formed with an interior water-passage or chamber D, either iiat or curved at the top, and opening at the bottom into the condenser A, and having a horizontal suction-pipe, E, which connects with a pump. The upper portion of the condenser A is formed on the interior with a shoulder or seat, c, or otherwise arranged to support the bottom jof a perforated cone or dome-like partition or inclined strainer, F, formed with a central aperture to it over the pipe B, to whose top it does not quite reach when in position. Arranged to screw onto the top ot' the condenser A is a screw-cap or head, A', formed to receive a central screwvalve body, Gr, having suitable packing, and arranged to receive and allow the elevation and lowering of a screw-valve stem, H, provided with a wheel, crank, or other handle, H', at the top. and at the bottom formed with a valve-termination, h, which is raised and lowered, by the operation of the stem, to regulate the How of water at the top ot the suction supply-pipe B.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The action of the pump creates a vacuum through its pipe E, the water iiows up to meet the vacuum through the central suction supply-pipe B, over which it iiows down through the perforated partition F, Vthen meets, in jet or spray-like form, the steam from the exhaustpipe C, and condenses it, thence passes into the pump through chamber or passage D and suction-pipe E. lIn the condensing process a greater vacuum is produced in the condenser than :in 'the pipe by the pump, thus causing the water to tlow more rapidly up the central pipe B than through the horizontal pipe E, consequently the valve h is provided to regulate the supply of water received in the condenser, so as always to have space therein to permit the free ingress of steam from the exhaust-pipe. The whole force or suction produced by the pump, together with that ofthe vacuum caused by the condensing steam, is alternately exerted at each end of a steamcylinder, thereby increasing the power of the pump. The condensed steam, together with the water from supply suction-pipe B, falls to the bottom of the condenser, and enters the Water passage or chamber D, from which it passes, through pipe E, to pump, which thus uses the same Water over again, and is by means of said chamber at all times supplied with solid water. The inner wall D of chamber D extends downward slightly below the aperture of pipe E, which opens into the condenser a short distance above its bottom, so

that a sufficient depth of water will always remain in the bottom ofthe condenser to meet and have a level slightly above the lower edge of wall D', thus forming a Water-joint which excludes all steam from t-he pump suction-pipe E. lThe perforated partition F causes the Water llowing from the central pipe B to be disseminated and fall in jets into the condenser, to facilitate the condensing of the steam from the exhaust. If the perforated plate is made disk-like, as ordinarily, the water flowing over the pipe B` naturally falls through the perforations nearest the pipe, and fails to reach, o r but weakly supplies the outer ones, and is, therefore, unequally distributed in the condenser, While, by my improvement, the cone-like or inclined partition F causes the Water to flow down toward the interior periphery of the condenser, and insures the equal dissemination of the Water.

By my improvement a pump may be conveniently located in any position from the boiler by ruiming only the direct steam-pipe, thereby obviating the use of an exhaust-pipe.

Having described, my improvement, what I A cylindrical condenser-case, A, formed with an interior bottom passage or open chamber, D, and having a screw-cap or head, A', arranged to receive a screw valve-body, G,in combination with a screw valve-stem, H, having a valve-termination, h, 'central suction supply-pipe B, perforated inclined partition F, steam-exhaust pipe C, and pump-suction pipe E, all arranged and operating substantially as described. Y.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in the' presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES L. KIDDEE.

Witnesses:

SAivrL.. M. BARTON, GEO. H. LONG. 

